I like productivity tools. The problem is that many don’t work for me as a solopreneur because of the way they’re priced. They go from free to expensive without much in between.
JotForm takes a different approach that I found refreshing.
My search for productivity tools
Here’s what usually happens when I want a new tool.
- I have a problem. My most recent was that I wanted to make a graded assessment I could publish on my website.
- I spend hours scouring the Web for tools that might do the trick.
- I find one or more that are supposedly “free.”
- I try them out only to discover free means limited.
The normal limitations
Of course free is limited. The app developers need to make a living too.
The limitations typically come in three flavors:
- Try for a limited time
- Try without all the features
- Try up to a limited volume
The first two are big problems for me, and when I discover that’s the deal, I usually move on in my search.
My thinking is that I won’t be able to adequately judge whether the service adds value without enough time or access to the most valuable features.
While there may be dozens of free features available, it never fails the one you need to accomplish your goal is the one that’s behind a paywall. Those SaaS companies are smart in discerning which are the most valuable. They aren’t as smart in thinking I’m willing to pay for it before I feel confident my idea will work.
The one that doesn’t bother me is limited volume. I’m a one-man band. I do small. Limits on volume are usually fine with me.
And assuming the limits aren’t ridiculously low, if I reach the volume where I’m required to pay, I’m happy to do so because the tool is delivering the value it promised. I would now feel it’s going to be worth an added monthly expense.
JotForm was easy for me to try
Remember I mentioned my need to create a grade assessment? I looked and looked. Everything that I found was either too limited, or it was cheesy. Those were my options.
Until I found JotForm.
At first I thought it was just a form tool, and I figured I could use Google Forms instead.
But then I started to explore and noticed I could do the assessment I wanted to do with it because JotForm allowed me to try features that other tools weren’t going to let me try without paying.
The three that were most important to me included:
- Calculations
- Conditional statements
- Custom redirects
The only limits were based on volume, and I wasn’t worried about that at this point.
JotForm does make me carry its branding on what I create, but I’m cool with that. It’s tasteful and everyone taking the assessment knows it’s not like I coded the thing myself.
Plus it’s a fair exchange. I give them some advertising in exchange for access.
JotForm is easy to use
I also found the tool easy to use. And when I ran into a problem, I quickly found a ton of excellent explainer-videos on their site.
After just a bit of futzing around, I was able to create my TeamCheck Assessment. It’s a tool for leaders to do a quick self assessment about how well their team is working together. Check it out.
Hope to be a paying customer soon
Most tools have a very specific purpose. This tool is different for me. I like it, and it makes me want to start dreaming up applications for it.
If I’m successful in thinking up those applications, I will quickly exceed my monthly limits for my free plan. And when I do, I’ll happily become a paying JotForm customer.
